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Re: Please Help - getting half of what she needs

My dd (also 8 months and also Claire) gets 9 oz during the 9 hours I work. She takes 3 3oz bottles. She has always been fussy at the end of he bottles but since she was gaining well I never worried. She never fussed after nursing.

I called a LLL Leader and her suggestion to switch to an even slower flowing bottle nipple did the trick. Baby now takes longer at the bottle and is happy after.

Also I pump 4x during my work day for 3 bottles. I get between 2 and 3 oz per session.

Bottom line - your experience sounds very similar to mine and very normal.

Unless a doctor is expressing serious concerns about your baby's weight gain (and even then!!) supplementing is probably more detrimental than beneficial.

Re: Please Help - getting half of what she needs

Sorry - I wanted to also add some things about increasing pumping supply:

(first I'm jealous that your period is back - I want to get pregnant and mine is nowhere to be found)

- play music while you pump - statistically shown to increase output but don't quote me
- massage and shake breasts before pumping.
- pump more often if you can. More frequency is better than longer sessions, or so I'm told. That's why I do 4 sessions, even though I combine the milk for 3 bottles
- I drink lots of whater while I pump. It seems to signal "we're not in a drought here - release the fluids"
- I seem to get more when I'm surfing the web on my phone rather than thinking about pumping.

Regarding the slower flow bottle nipple suggestion I put in my earlier post - the point of that is that baby might be ok with a lower supply if it takes longer. Bottles can be max 3oz, and maybe more smaller bottles, flowing slower will keep baby happy between solids during the day. Then she'll get what she needs at night.

It seems like a healthy full-term 8-month old EBF baby is pretty robust and will get what she needs somehow. She may not need quite as much as you think?

Re: Please Help - getting half of what she needs

Claire usually drinks 4 3oz bottles. Some mornings she does double up and take 6 at once but for the most part she takes 4 3oz ones.

At this point I am lacking 5oz of milk, thats almost 2 of her bottles and I dont honestly think its healthy or right to just send what ever I get and NOT supplement her in some way. I have managed to not use frozen this week so far, i probably will have to use at least three bags for the rest of the week, if not 6, which is about all I have stored. I will pump like crazy this weekend to try and get through as much as next week as possible.

The good news is that I hope to VERY soon be changing from a 5 day work week to a 4 so that will cut back the need to pumped milk which is nice.

Susan - I plan to keep pumping with this pump through the 1 month rental to see where it gets me, no matter what! Its good to know that it can take that long to kick in (though I do wish it were sooner of course, lol).

Re: Please Help - getting half of what she needs

Originally Posted by @llli*kmoore611

Well I picked up my medela symphony on Saturday. I pumped once on saturday and three times on Sunday (amongst nursing sessions) and I managed to eek out a grand total of 8 oz. I needed 6 of those today to put with the 6 I had pumped on Friday. So I started off today with a 2oz stash to put with what I have pumped. I have gotten two out of three pump sessions in and have a grand total of 5oz. About 5. to .75 oz more then what I had gotten at this time a day last week. So, I guess it is an improvement but not the magic I had hoped to see I will pump again before bed tonight and hopefully only need to use 1 bag of frozen tomorrow instead of two. I only have enpugh frozen to last me this week so I am not sure what to do come Monday of next week

I really have to weigh my options, I could add in a pump in the wee hours of the morning and before I get claire up for the day but I am truely in fear that my supply is tanking and that if I pump she may not have enough when she wakes up to eat. Throw on the lack of sleep and I need to see if its really worth it to me and my family, sanity wise.

Originally Posted by @llli*aprilsmagic

It can take 7-14 DAYS before you notice any difference via pumping.

ITA: I just want to say that I hear your fear, but you are ALREADY seeing improvement! And it's been two days! Add in one session a day and the weekends and I think you will see MORE improvement. Don't think Doom and Gloom. Think you ARE going to make it through!

Re: Please Help - getting half of what she needs

Well as of tomorrow my freezer stash is GONE and I am getting 6 oz a day still - some times 8 and 9 on a good day. I have discussed with my daycare provider that she will be supplementing with formula if needed. It breaks my heart but I also know that I will feel so much better without the stress. I will still pump at work and on weekends if I can. I will still nurse mornings, nights, and weekends as long as my supply will last so that Claire can get every last drop. I am just a few days shy of 9 months and for that I am proud. My original goal was 6 weeks, then 12, then 6 months and then I took it month by month hoping for a year without formula. I must say that I am excited for a wee bit more freedom which will allow me to do adventures on the weekends with my husband, which we desperately need. In the end, this will be best for our family all around.